Here for Flint
Phase I
Knocking out Dirty Water with Champion Boxer Anthony Dirrell
Flint, Michigan. Once a booming city, now known more for crime than cars. Home to one of the grave injustices witnessed this century upon the American people. For over five years, the Flint Water Crisis has persisted. For five years the citizens have been forced to bathe in bottled water, dependent on charity for what they could drink.
Untold cases of prenatal birth defects, lead poisoning, and 12 deaths to Legionnaires Disease are the worst of what the people have experienced. From their "leaders" the people have experienced mostly blind eyes and lip service.
We're here to take action now.
The First Phase
Our CEO takes the Flint crisis personally, and was fortunate enough to meet and befriend WBC Champion boxer and Flint native Anthony Dirrell along the journey. Often the strength of a community is shown at its eleventh hour, and through the struggles people are brought together.
Our goal is to deliver clean water, good health, and show the people of Flint how to trust in themselves and their neighbors amidst so much dishonesty and disappointment. This campaign will take place in three phases. We are eager as ever to dig in, but we need to do this right.
We intend on this project sustaining itself beyond our lives, rather than be a band-aid to an ailing community. For now, we are bringing awareness to this oft forgotten crisis as we finalize the arrangements with our water filtration specialists. Once Phase 2 begins, our nonprofit partners and clean water experts will join the squad. That's when the real work will begin.
Exemplifying Perseverance
We couldn't think of a better partner in this fight than Anthony Dirrell. It's tough enough to step into the ring, but Anthony's story is even greater than his success as a boxer.
Anthony's career was twice disrupted by life threatening conditions: first, enduring non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and the challenge of chemotherapy, later to be involved in a motorcycle accident that left him severely injured. CEO/Founder Brenden Fitzgerald found the source of his perseverance in the Marine Corps, where he served as an infantry leader for 6 years.
Both men credit the rough edges of Flint for toughening them up and pushing them to be who they are today. Both understand the value of giving back, one filtration system at a time.
What's Next?
Once we wrap up with the first phase, we'll be providing key information necessary to keep up and help out! During Phase 2 we'll inform everyone of when Phase 3 will begin, the water systems we'll use, and how to donate.
The north side of Flint will be our likely destination, where Phase 3 will take place. We'll be on the ground installing our first system and bringing you along for journey.
This city is near and dear to the hearts of these two men, who both have friends and family still impacted by the crisis. Please join us. Share this campaign with a friend, your class, or family - and if you can, please donate to the cause for clean water.
Special Thanks:
To Anthony Dirrell and the Dirrell Chance Foundation, for never turning his back on his roots, and for co-sponsoring the #hereforFlint Campaign, and for providing an example to the young people of the next generation affected by this crisis.
To Sean Vosen, and Las Vegan Productions for their creativity, artistic input, and continued support above and beyond what we even hoped for. We couldn't have reached this point without them!
To Wristponsible, for taking part in all things clean water, for being our nonprofit co-collaborator, and for helping us navigate the process. Thank you!
To the National Clean Water Collective, who have already done so much for the people of Flint. A nonprofit focused intently on the Flint Water Crisis, whose consistent stream of information and persistent action have inspired us all.
